[sc:windows-category ]So now that I’ve lived with Windows 8 for a while, what do I think?
In general, I think Microsoft has done an excellent job of integrating the new UI in to the existing Windows UI. It does feel like the new UI is more of the focus, but that’s to be expected in the first release. I believe they do have some more work to do on getting the right balance between them.
One of the things that most people bring up is the lack of a start button on the desktop. I too have found this to be missing, luckily someone has already come to the rescue! Classic Shell gives you a start menu and can even drop you directly to the desktop on logon if you like. I haven’t gone that far yet but having the start button back is kind of nice.
One annoyance I have run in to is when I RDP to a Windows 8 client, the edge controls (charms and scrolling the start menu) either don’t work (scrolling) or are much harder to hit. In some cases you get to the point where you can’t use them. For example I had RDP’d using the Metro RDP app in to another Windows 8 box. Going to the right hand corner to get access to the computer settings fails because that charm is overlayed with the lcoal PC’s charm. It’s no uncommon to if you have ever RDP’d to a remote system and then RDP’d again to another system, both in full screen mode. The two RDP controls at the top overlay one another.
In general I’m quite happy with Windows 8. I think once people actually use it a bit they grumblings will settle down.
I did have a conversation with a friend (also a computer geek) and his concern was that Metro wasn’t ready to take over from the desktop. As Microsoft has said that this is coexistence, not replacement, this surprised me. I suspect MS will have to do a better job of explaining that both user interfaces are here to say.
This weekend I may take the plunge on my primary PC. Still debating it only because I have some development tools on it that may not be compatible. Stay tuned next week to see if I throw caution to the wind!
